Thermaltake VH6000BWS Armor+ Review

Introduction:

With the speeds that enthusiasts are reaching on their hardware these days, a lot more heat is being generated than in the past. To handle all of that heat, you need a case with great airflow and lots room to work in. The old beige cases of the past are no longer up to the task, and are giving way to cooling beasts of the future. I remember when the only case fan I had was an aftermarket 120mm exhaust fan that sat right above the PCI slots; if I didn't have that, the power supply would have been my only air extractor. Now, choosing the best fans and their placement is as critical as the components in the computer.

Enter the Thermaltake Armor+ - this is the big daddy of Thermaltake's long-running Armor series. The Armor+ is a full tower case that comes in two colors and variants - Thermaltake offers the Armor+ in a black or silver, and with or without their integrated Liquid Cooling System (LCS). We are going to be taking a look at the VH6000BWS, which is the black tower without the LCS.

Closer Look:

The Armor+ being a full tower case, the packaging was huge and heavy. The box sports a picture of the case, and some of the case's features are outlined on the side. Also included on the box is the World Cyber Games logo, as the Armor+ was the official case of the 2007 Games.

When the case arrived, I took a look at the packaging and got scared - it looks as if the box had been through the washing machine. I was slow and careful unpacking it, which was a difficult task, considering the size and weight of the case. However, to my surprise, the cargo was perfectly intact - Thermaltake took extra care to properly secure the case in the box, so that no damage would occur in transit. This is something I like to see from a manufacturer, going the extra mile for their customers.

Now that we have the beast out of its shell, let's move on and take a better look at the case.